


the five senses

by nafnaf



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Biting, Confessions, First Relationship, Fluff, Introspection, Kissing, Light Angst, M/M, Making Out
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-15
Updated: 2018-02-15
Packaged: 2019-03-18 19:39:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,496
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13688421
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nafnaf/pseuds/nafnaf
Summary: Everything they do and say, it’s familiar. It’s comfort. It’s only natural, when Akechi is all he sees, hears, smells, touches, tastes. If he had to summarize it, their relationship—their memories, their knowledge, their love—is simply an amalgamation of sensations.(An exploration of the five senses, and how it all relates to one Ren Amamiya and Goro Akechi.)





	the five senses

**Author's Note:**

> happy valentine's day! please comment/kudos if you enjoyed, i love feedback <3

**to see (v.) - perceive with the eyes; discern visually.**

There is no such thing as love at first sight.

But Ren cannot deny the spark of interest that lights in him when he first meets Goro Akechi. There is certainly a lot for the eye to take in, with crimson eyes, a sharp nose, full lips, and long, unkempt brown hair that frames his soft features elegantly. More than that, it’s the way he carries himself—tall, with a hint of arrogance—that demands attention and respect.

He’s the closest to perfect that anyone can get. And yet, it bothers Ren. How he smiles much too pleasantly, raises his thin eyebrows at appropriate intervals as if on script. Ren doesn’t know where to direct his gaze. Too much is going on in his expression at once. Fingers tapping on a knee, shoulders shaking in cordial laughter, eyes darting vigilantly back and forth.

Maybe it’s the fact that Akechi is easy on the eyes that helps Ren notice these nuances. He’s too tempting to _not_ stare at, and every time Ren’s eyes land on Akechi’s own, some part of him coils and uncoils unexpectedly. He likes looking at Akechi, he decides. He can’t tear his eyes away from the detective.

“Amamiya-kun?” Gazing straight at Ren, Akechi tilts his head to the side, lips curled into a smile. “You’re daydreaming.”

“Hm?” Ren rubs his eyes. When he opens them again, Akechi is regarding him in that amused, almost fascinated manner that sends shivers down Ren’s spine. “Oh… sorry.”

The two had been sitting outside of Leblanc, eating ice pops in the sweltering heat instead of baking inside the considerably hotter café. At Ren’s ensuing silence, Akechi smiles wider. “Thinking about something?” he asks, taking a bite of his popsicle and showcasing two rows of straight, white teeth. Ren shakes his head. He takes in a deep breath.

“No… Someone.”

“Oh?” Another raised brow, a perfect arch that could probably get its own painting in the museum. “How peculiar. Do you, perhaps, have someone you’re seeing?”

 _Subtle, Akechi._ Ren blushes despite himself. He shakes his head, but he drags his gaze up the length of Akechi’s body, catching at the beads of sweat dotting his neck. And then, how Akechi tucks his hair behind his ear, revealing the shell of it which has gone red at the tip from heat. Akechi is wearing his summer uniform today—his shirt sticks to his skin uncomfortably, hugging him in a way that makes Ren’s eyes linger on his slim waist. His face is flushed and lips red from the popsicle. Ren’s breath feels shallow in his chest.

Ren says after a while, “That would be nice, I think. If anyone liked delinquents.”

Akechi tips his head back in a laugh. “Oh, _please_. Anyone who gets to know you would know how soft-spoken and sensitive you are.” He leans forward, fondness gracing his eyes. “I can’t help but recall when you saved that kitten from falling off the windowsill of a building. Watching you scale the side of it was scary, but admirable in its own way.”

“Really?” Ren wonders if he looks as stupid as he feels. “I was just doing what anyone would do. How do you know I’m not the bad boy everything thinks I am?”

“Amamiya-kun, I’m a detective. I would have figured it out by now.” When Akechi smiles, it’s sharp, practically teasing, and it tugs at Ren’s heartstrings. Pressing his lips together, Ren averts his gaze from the sunny detective. It feels ironic having someone like Akechi compliment him. Smart, gracious, pretty Akechi. Someone of his ilk should want nothing to do with him. _Funny that I’ve attracted the interest of this upright justicemonger, then, to be at the other end of his praise._

Before he can stop it, the words come tumbling out of his mouth. “Would this detective mind dating a bad boy, then?”

Akechi’s eyes widen in shock. Ren delights briefly in that reaction before dread floods his stomach, thinking of the many was Akechi might misconstrue that statement.

“Oh—” Ren puts his hands up. “It was just a—”

“I wouldn’t mind.”

Ren blinks. “Huh?”

Twiddling with the stick of his popsicle, Akechi stares contemplatively at it, Ren following suit. Drops of red glide down the icy treat, into the seams Goro’s fingers.

“You are… an interesting one, Amamiya-kun. The two months we’ve known each other have felt surreal, and I’ve savored every minute of it. Above all else, I never knew I could have a friend as genuine as you.” Akechi falls silent. Expectation eats away at Ren’s insides. “So to speak, I think dating you would be… not entirely objectionable. So. If you would have me, I would love to give you a shot.”

Ren has to collect his thoughts for a moment. This… wasn’t the reaction he was expecting. If anything, he was expecting the detective to turn him down in a flurry of insults and lecture him in lessons of civility. But, startled as Ren is, he doesn’t find the confession unpleasant; it makes warmth build at the small of his back, climbing all the way up to the nape of his neck. Without thinking, he moves from the wall of the café to stand in front of him, gauging his reaction. Akechi’s head snaps up in surprise.

“Your words touch me,” Ren teases, putting a hand over his heart as if an arrow had struck it. Akechi’s eyes grow big again, this time in embarrassment; Ren can’t help but coo at the sight. “Aw, I never knew you could get so red. Are you flustered, Akechi?”

“Th-That’s…” Akechi looks away. _Cute_. “Is that a yes? Do you accept my proposal?”

Hesitation still simmers beneath his skin, but Ren, his heart in his throat, blurts out a “yes” before he can second-guess himself. At that, Akechi smiles wide. Like a little kid at the candy store. Unwittingly, Ren’s face turns pink as he blushes.

“I’m glad…” Akechi murmurs. He hugs his chest, melted popsicle still dripping onto his skin and the floor in front of the shop. “You mean it, then. You want to go out with me.”

“I wouldn’t have said yes if I didn’t want to,” Ren answers cheekily, but the same uncertainty dwells at the pit of his stomach. He isn’t sure if they both want this or if it’s just a heat of the moment thing. Fitting, considering the weather—it often makes people delirious and think meaningless things. But Ren can’t help but feel this is right. Like this was meant to be the conclusion from the start, the climax budding at the slow crawl of the rising action.  

Really, he doesn’t care if he’ll regret it later. Right now, this means everything to him. In this hot Tokyo afternoon, standing in a shy silence, sticky popsicles melting in their hands. It’s stupid, it’s awkward, and it’s the happiest moment of his fucking life.

Ren glances up, meeting Akechi’s eyes. In that instance, it’s like he’s staring into the sun. He looks away quickly, blinking to rid of the spots that spark in his vision, and for once, the presence of another has left an indelible mark on his body, on his mind and on his soul. He ducks his head, hiding a smile and a nervous chuckle. Akechi, sensing his bashfulness, reacts in very much the same way. A sight privy to Ren only. He must be blessed by the gods somehow.

 

 

**to hear (v.) - perceive with the ear the sound made by (someone or something).**

Akechi’s voice is not the same as when Ren heard it the first time.

Rather, it’s a multitude of things—it’s slow, sweet honey; it’s a dark, inaudible rasp; it’s the softest of whispers to touch the air.  It cannot simply be categorized into one quality, into one pitch, as it varies with the mood, catching on inflections so often Ren’s ears strain to follow it.

They often converse through the phone. When Akechi is wrapped up in his schedule and Ren has no money to catch the train, they call each other up and talk for however long time will allow them. At moments like these, Ren has no idea what faces his boyfriend may be making; he has only his voice to go on, to pick apart what kind of mood Akechi may be in then.

Listening to his boyfriend talk brings a special kind of calm. Akechi could be discussing Cartesian dualism with him and Ren would love every second of it, lost as he may be during it. Not that he has any shortage of knowledge to bring to the table, but he’s much more content to listen to Akechi’s expertise, to absorb every aspect of his voice as if letting it sink and carve a path into his mind.

“You’re tired,” Akechi says one night, as Ren is lying in bed with the phone pressed against his ear. It’s in danger of slipping away, but Ren is too lazy to care.

“Not as much as you must be, considering…”

“No, I’m used to staying up. More than that, you sound exhausted.” His voice is so clear, so alert, that no one would be able to guess that he’s running only on two hours of sleep. It’s soothing. A lullaby of sorts. Also part of the reason why Ren dislikes putting the phone on speaker—there is something more intimate in having him close, as if Akechi is right next to him, murmuring sweet silk into his ear…

“I don’t mind, I just wanna talk to you.”

Akechi chuckles. It is a light, ringing sound that’s like music to Ren’s ears. If Ren could, he’d record it and put it on replay whenever he felt lonely, but for now, he only has the memory of it—of what Akechi’s various laughs sound like, of how to draw them out of him, of which ones make him smile and which ones make him shudder.

“Okay, if you want to talk so bad…” Akechi’s voice has a hint of a smile in it. “What were you looking to talk about?”

“Uh,” Ren says. He bites his lip bashfully. “I honestly didn’t think that far.”

“Oh?” Akechi hums playfully, knowingly. How can he be so good at reducing Ren into a puddle of nothing? “Well, how about I sing you to sleep?”

“You… can sing,” Ren deadpans, slight surprise coloring his voice.

“No, not really. But I would be willing to try. For you.”

Something about his words makes a string draw tight around Ren’s heart. He nods vigorously, even though his boyfriend can’t see him. “Yes, please. I would love that.”

From the other side of the line, Ren can hear Akechi take a deep breath, as if mulling over his decision. And then, his breath hitches into the speaker. “Okay.”

He sings, and Ren is immediately mesmerized. Akechi’s voice is husky, nothing at all like the smooth pleasantness of when he speaks; where it was once suave, fluid like a liquid, now it is all rough edges and gracelessness.

And it’s beautiful.

For the next minute, Ren listens to Akechi sing, tentative but eventually growing in strength. By the end of it, Ren has curled up into the sheets with a goofy smile splitting his face. There’s an indescribable quality to his voice that renders Ren helpless, that makes him want to do nothing but let the sweet sound of it fill his ears. When Akechi finishes his song, he makes this nervous chuckle that hurts Ren’s chest with how goddamn _cute_ it sounds, and then Ren comes to realization that he never wants to be apart from Akechi’s voice again.

“I’m done…” Akechi sighs. “Well, how did that sound?”

Without thinking, Ren blurts, “Perfect. Do it again.”

“… Seriously?” Akechi laughs again.

“Yes. I could listen to you forever.”

Giving pause, Akechi answers a few seconds later with a uncertain tinge in his tone. “Are you saying that because you mean it, or… ?”

“Because I mean it.” These kinds of words from Akechi aren’t unfamiliar to Ren. He’s used to having to comfort him, to shower Akechi in reassurances because somehow, he hasn’t learned how to accept kindness from other people—even his own boyfriend. _Well,_ Ren thinks, _not that we’ve been going out for very long, anyway._

“You make it hard to deny you,” Akechi says finally. He takes a breath, then murmuring, “Okay. I’ll sing again, if that’s what you want.”

Without preamble, he opens his mouth and begins another song, bringing another smile to Ren’s face. His voice is perfect to sleep to, all kinds of soothing and warm that stirs Ren’s soul into softness. It isn’t fake sweetness, like his TV voice. It’s raw, and honest, and everything Ren wishes Akechi could show to him more often.

Which is why he tries to hold on for as long as possible. But eventually, the tendrils of sleep pull him into a deep slumber, his last thoughts being that of Akechi’s lullaby.

 

 

**to smell (v.) - perceive or detect the odor or scent of (something).**

For as long as they’ve been going out, Ren hasn’t paid much attention to Akechi’s scent. He makes a point of not standing too close to him, because when he does, staring becomes a lot more conspicuous (not that such a thing should be undesirable, considering they’re dating). But when Akechi falls asleep on his shoulder on the train—a mistake, as Akechi rarely initiates anything unless he’s half-asleep and barely coherent—Ren catches a whiff of his shampoo and he’s immediately caught off-guard.

He… smells good. Ren shifts closer, canting his head to press his nose into Akechi’s scalp, and soaks in the lovely vanilla scent that fills his nostrils. Something about the smell is so very Akechi; perhaps it’s its therapeutic properties, which Akechi seems to possess in almost all of his characteristics. In any case, he can’t help but nuzzle into his hair, breathe him in as he also drifts off into a light rest.

They arrive at their stop much too soon. Akechi blinks awake, blushing when he realizes what position they’re in. Slipping away from under Ren’s weight, he rouses him: “Ren, wake up. This is our stop.”

Ren grumbles, stretching his arms over his head and stumbling to his feet. He follows Akechi out of the train and into the station, not missing the way his eyes dart away the moment he catches Ren’s probing gaze. Quietly, Ren laughs. He reaches out and threads their fingers together, pulling Akechi close to him.

“Long week?” he murmurs into his ear. Akechi turns his face towards the floor.

“I may have overworked myself a little… I’m sorry for falling asleep on you.”

“Don’t be sorry,” Ren says, tightening his grip on Akechi when it seems like the other boy will pull away. “You smell good.”

A soft, embarrassed noise escapes Akechi. “Wh-What do you—?”

“It’s really nice.” He furthers his point by lowering his head into Akechi’s shoulder, inhaling generously. He wants to say more, wants to tell Akechi how he can’t get enough of how he smells and wants to explore the feeling longer, but there’s no appropriate way to express it besides smiling into his hair and pressing a kiss behind his ear.

“R-Ren!” Akechi squeaks, pushing away from him. “You’re embarrassing… ”

Ren snickers, tucking some of the stray locks from his face. “Aw, don’t be embarrassed. Embrace it.”

Akechi huffs, but he seems to consider his advice—from then on, he makes somewhat of a conscious effort to wear an appealing scent whenever they hang out. It’s flattering, knowing that Akechi goes out of his way to impress Ren. Not that it takes _much_ to impress Ren, but. Well.

“Do you want to go out for dinner?” Ren asks, on a particularly warm day that has them both melting in the attic. Talking proves to be too much effort when most of their energy has been sapped by the sun, so Akechi merely nods, eager to be anywhere but the café. Although it’s gross to be pressed together on the couch when they’re both sticky and drenched in sweat, there’s something attractive about Akechi’s natural scent. Ren couldn’t care less about how unusual it must look—his arms wrapped around Akechi’s middle, nose pressed into his damp hair.

“Move, it’s hot,” Akechi mutters, attempting to peel Ren off of him. Ren simply catches his hands, presses a kiss into the inside of his wrist.

The aroma that hits his nose causes him to freeze. “… What’s this?”  

“Ah, must be my hand lotion.” Akechi tries to tug his hands away, but Ren pulls them closer, rubbing his nose into Akechi’s palm. Akechi squirms.

“Ren…”

He doesn’t relent. The lotion that still softens Akechi’s hands is rich in herbs, smelling faintly of wood and rose. Ren brushes another kiss into his skin. “You always smell so good.”  

“S-Stop…” Akechi averts his gaze, cheeks dark red. “Let go of me, I need to go to my apartment and wash up before dinner.”

“You don’t want to wash up with me?” Ren pouts.

Akechi hits him.

That evening, while Ren is lazing about in bed, his eyes snag on a figure ascending the staircase. Akechi walks up to him, completely unperturbed despite the heat, and he’s a lot more collected than before—hair combed neatly, shirt dry and free of wrinkles. Refreshing himself must have put him in a better mood; Akechi brightly-lit expression speaks volumes for his excitement.

“Ah, you’re looking quite handsome,” Akechi comments, smiling as he takes Ren’s hand. It had taken a bit of training to get him to that point of physical affection. “Are you ready? I’ll be treating us to dinner tonight.”

“Oh? Must be luxurious.” Ren shifts closer, tilting his head towards Akechi. Shamelessly, he takes in a deep breath; multiple scents hit him at once, that of spice and coffee and musk, so, so intoxicating and warm. “Ah… You’re way too tempting, you know that?”

“Huh?” Akechi levels an incredulous gaze at him. Without warning, Ren pulls him down on the bed, trapping him in his arms as he buries his face into Akechi’s neck. Akechi yelps, struggling in Ren’s tight grip.

“R-Ren—ah—”

Ren nuzzles into him, lips ghosting over his skin, and slowly trails his lips down to Akechi’s collarbone, where the scent is strongest. He can’t hold himself back from nipping at the sensitive flesh, Akechi shivering from the sensation.

“Ren… we have to go, I made a reservation—”

“Few more minutes.” Gently, he noses into Akechi’s chest. Fingers tangle into his hair as Ren nudges several more kisses into his clothes. “You’re too much, I can’t help myself.”

“Flatterer…” Despite his words, Akechi doesn’t protest, encouraging him on with a couple sharp tugs of Ren’s hair. Ren loves seeing him like this—free of pretense, so thoroughly taken apart that there are no inhibitions left to shackle him into false normalcy. Ren embraces him, unabashed in the fact that he’s sniffing Akechi’s shirt. He “accidentally” prods a particularly sensitive part of Akechi’s chest, causing the other boy to whimper quietly.

“This is silly,” Akechi says eventually. His voice sounds weak, though he tries to impose an edge of authority to it. Which falls flat immediately as Ren spots the blush on his face.

“I’m silly. For you.” Ren tilts his chin up, winks coquettishly at his boyfriend. Akechi, unaffected, frowns at him instead.

“I don’t see why you…”

Reluctantly, he trails off. When Ren waits for him to continue, no further explanation comes, and Akechi sighs, carding his fingers through Ren’s hair. “Never mind. We should go.”

“A few more minutes.”

“You said that last time—”

Ren rucks Akechi’s shirt up, rubbing his nose against his belly, and Akechi’s body jerks in surprise. _Ah,_ Ren thinks in amusement, _he’s ticklish._

“ _Ren!_ ”

The stridence of his manner does nothing to drown out his desperate laughs. Smiling into his skin, Ren skims his nose upward, indulging in the scent of his herbal lotion.

Needless to say, they don’t leave Leblanc for a while.

 

 

**to touch (v.) - come so close to (an object) as to be or come into contact with it.**

Akechi rarely contacts him past midnight.

Ren is a student, and Akechi knows this—he’d once expressly stated that he puts Ren’s education before any pleasurable activities. Ren understood that. While Akechi is also in school, he has his job to fret over, and that takes precedence over virtually everything else. Including Akechi’s sleep schedule. So, Akechi makes a point not to make Ren stay up any later than him.

But this time, Akechi contacts him past midnight, and Ren is roused from his sleep, fatigued eyes blinking at the message on his screen. _I’m outside,_ it says, no context to answer the questions that are cropping up in Ren’s head.

He stumbles out of bed, staggering down the stairs of Leblanc to where Akechi peers at him through the glass of the door. He opens the door with a harsh tug. “What are you doing here?” Ren asks, voice scratchy from sleep.

Akechi pushes past him. Drowsily, Ren closes the door and follows his footsteps, walking, walking until they’ve both reached the attic and Akechi has taken a seat on the bed. Ren takes a seat beside him.

“What’s wrong?”

Hugging his arms, Akechi opens his mouth, then closes it again. “I’m bothering you again, aren’t I?”

Ren’s heart squeezes painfully. “No.”

“I’m sorry, I…” Akechi grips himself tighter, drawing out tremors that are plainly visible to Ren’s eyes. Panic draining his blood, Ren tugs Akechi against him, helping the detective undress until he’s comfortable enough to lie down on the bed.

“Talk to me, please. I don’t like when you’re keeping secrets.” Ren winds his arms around Akechi’s waist, stubborn. The other boy is warm, a comforting weight pressed fully against him, but the way his body shakes, watery hiccups clogging his throat and voice, makes Ren’s stomach coil unpleasantly. He combs his fingers through Akechi’s soft hair.

“You won’t talk to me, either,” Akechi says.

Ren’s arm starts to go numb. “Huh?”

“I’m not the only one who’s keeping secrets.” Akechi’s lips move against his skin, hot breath singeing a path through his body, and it’s a direct contrast to how cold his words feel in the stale attic air. Ren desires the warmth that once wrapped around Akechi’s voice. He clutches his fingers tighter into Akechi’s shirt, feels how the thick, rough fabric chafes against his fingers.

“I don’t do it on purpose,” Ren mutters. Immediately, he takes note of how Akechi’s fingers climb up his back, threading through the hairs at the nape of his neck. “I just… I don’t know what to say. I don’t feel like it’s important.”

“It is,” Akechi retorts. He doesn’t mention any more than that. Just tangles their legs together so that they can be closer, closer still.

Releasing a sigh, Ren relaxes his hold on Akechi’s waist. Suddenly it feels way too tight in this narrow space. “I’m sorry, Akechi, if that’s the way you feel. What brought this on?”

Akechi huffs, pulling unnecessarily hard on Ren’s hair as he tries to undo its knots. “Nothing. I just thought about it now. To tell the truth, I…”

“Yes?”

Akechi pouts. “Forget it, it’s stupid.”

“What did we just talk about?”

“… Fine. I missed you.” Akechi glowers indignantly at him. “That’s all.”

And sometimes, that’s all it takes. There doesn’t need to be a clear-cut reason for everything, and Ren has grown to accept that. He lifts one of his hands to graze against Akechi’s jaw. He pushes his thumb up, stroking a single sharp cheekbone. He wonders how his skin can be smooth, impossibly so, like it was made straight from silk. Beneath his touch, Akechi sighs contentedly; he closes his eyes and allows Ren to caress him.

“Can I make a confession?” Ren says.

Akechi grunts, nodding for good measure. Ren brushes the fringe away from his face.

“I hate being alone.”

Akechi’s eyes slip open.

“That’s what I’m the most scared of,” Ren resumes, almost stiltedly. “I was alone in my hometown. I was alone here. At least, for a while.”

Humming, Akechi slides his fingers up Ren’s arms, stopping when they’ve reached his wrists. He entwines their fingers together in a fluid motion. “I won’t leave you alone.”

“I know.”

“I hate being alone, too.”

“I know.”

“But I pretend I like it,” Akechi says, lowering his eyes. “I pretend I need it.”

Ren nods, pressing his lips into the back of Akechi’s hand. Suddenly, he can feel the hot tears that drip onto his skin, but whether it’s his own or Akechi’s, he can’t tell. He has long grown used to the feeling of tears in his palms. His face. His lips. But experiencing it in another’s arms is another sensation entirely, and he can’t describe it, the way it makes him feel.

But he knows how grounding it is to have Akechi in this space with him. He recognizes the softness of Akechi’s hands, the weight of his body pressed flush against Ren’s. That’s all that makes sense right now. And that’s all that matters.

“Don’t leave me, please?” Akechi kisses his cheek, lingering. They’re chapped, a bit wet from biting them too hard, and it’s far from perfect. It doesn’t have to be perfect, because Akechi isn’t perfect. Ren knows that much now.

“I won’t.”

Another kiss on his cheek—this time, longer, firmer. “Thank you, Ren.”

Ren smiles. “I love you, Goro.”

Akechi’s eyes go wide upon hearing his given name, and he stutters noiselessly, grip going slack in Ren’s hands. Ren squeezes him reassuringly. Squeezing back, Akechi nods once, worrying his lip again.

“I… love you too. Ren, I—”

“Shh.”

No more words need to be said. The contact of their lips says more than they could ever hope to express, and that’s all that makes sense. That’s all that matters.

They talk into the night, holding hands, their breaths tickling each other and caresses touching a deep part of Ren’s soul. He never thought he would reach this point in his life. He’s not fond of such proximity, doesn’t like the idea of anyone getting too close to him, close enough to harm, but—for some reason, with Akechi, it feels safe. It feels right.

It takes another hour until they can really sleep. Soon, morning drags across the sky, the heat of the sun beaming onto their skin. It’s tremendously uncomfortable. Akechi has drooled a hole through his shirt, a sort of wetness sticking the fabric to his neck. Ren’s arm is tingling from Akechi’s weight, too, and Ren is pretty sure he fell off the bed at one point because his head pounds with a dull ache.

It’s not ideal, but again, they’re not ideal. They’re not perfect, and they don’t have to be. As long as it’s Akechi, Ren will accept nothing else. And that’s a promise.

 

 

**to taste (v.) -  perceive or experience the flavor of.**

Ren’s first kiss with Akechi is incredible. It’s clumsy, and quick, and it tastes like the ramen they ate for lunch, but he’s on cloud nine by the time they pull away and stare at each other dazedly. Ren comes back for more each time. One kiss will turn into two, and two may turn into three if he’s in the mood. Akechi’s lips are delectable. Ren considers it a heaven-sent gift.

So the first time they actually _make out_ is doubly incredible, and doubly delectable. The idea of sticking his tongue into another’s mouth had long been unpleasant to him, but Ren didn’t expect that the prospect of doing so to Akechi would be so appealing.

All it takes is for them to be stranded in an elevator before Ren pounces on him. It’s a decision made out of curiosity, admittedly—he’d daydreamed about it before, wondered how it might feel to kiss so sensually. When Ren kisses him, Akechi doesn’t fight back, succumbing immediately, and Ren revels in the feeling of their tongues brushing together, his mind going fuzzy.

“Ah…” Akechi gasps, curling his fingers into Ren’s shirt. Ren delves in deeper, drinks him in further, enjoys how heady Akechi tastes against his tongue. It’s slightly tangy, slightly sour, not just one thing at once. If Ren had to describe it…

Well, the most he can say is, the taste is distinctly Akechi.

And like how Akechi isn’t just one sight, one sound, one smell, one touch, he also isn’t just one taste. Ren can peck the corner of his lips and taste whipped cream. He can suck at the vulnerable spot beneath his jaw and taste salt. He can lave his tongue over the small of his back and taste sweat, kiss him until he’s dizzy and taste chocolate.

It’s weird, being so thoroughly attached to every aspect of Goro Akechi. It’s sort of a good thing that they don’t meet up that often because if they did, Ren is sure he would manage to get drunk off of his own boyfriend. Sensory overload, maybe? Something along those lines.

“You taste so good,” Ren teases, nipping his jaw. “I wanna eat you up.”

Akechi cranes his neck, trying to shrug him off as he goes through the things in his briefcase. He’d been trying to get some work done at Leblanc when Ren snuck up on him and started mouthing at his neck. “You say the most ridiculous things sometimes,” Akechi intones, shaking his head affectionately. He swats his boyfriend away. “Leave me alone, I am trying to file paperwork and you’re being a distraction.”

“Paperwork doesn’t taste as good as me, does it?” Ren snarks. Akechi, mouth agape, can do nothing but blink stupidly at him.

“… I… underestimated how idiotic your statements could be, Ren.”

“I’m kidding.” Ren laughs, holding Akechi closer. “But I’m serious, take a break.”

“But I just started?”

“That…” A pause. “So what?”

“Oh my god.” Akechi runs a hand down his face, hiding a smile that bubbles up beneath it. “You’re incorrigible, you know? Come here.”

Grinning victoriously, Ren leans forward and kisses him gently, taking his time to explore, to relish the flavor of Akechi’s lips against his. This time, it’s bitter with whispers of coffee and cream, evidence of Leblanc’s influence on him. It tastes like home. Gratefully, Ren tilts his head and presses closer, closer, wanting to soak it up, let it envelop him until he knows nothing but the sensations dancing across his tongue.

Akechi’s hands cradle his face as they pull away, and then reconnect again. The kiss is warm and wet and wonderful, every part of it swarming Ren’s senses. The next time they catch their breaths, Akechi’s lifts his eyes bashfully to look at him. Ren bumps their foreheads together, content to just gaze into his lover’s eyes.

“You’re amazing.”

Akechi’s lips quirk. “I’m fully aware of that.”

“Asshole.” Ren fakes a pout, shoving Akechi playfully before pulling him right back in. The more that they do this, the less excitement that he associates with it, but comfort and happiness takes its place, swirling in his chest and bringing an indelible calm to his conscience.

“Oh my god, are they making out again?” A voice emerges from the doorway, causing the two to jump apart. Ren deflates.

“Aww, Futaba, you ruined it.”

“Whatever, losers. Eat each other’s faces in the attic or something.” Futaba sticks her tongue out at him, and Akechi, chuckling, gestures towards the staircase. Ren’s heart leaps into his throat. A smile climbing its way onto his face, Ren tails Akechi like a lovestruck schoolboy, crowding him before they can even reach the bed and pulling him against his waist.

“Ren,” Akechi stammers, “don’t be so rough—”

Ren cuts him off with his lips.  

It should be alarming, how easily they fall into step with each other, instinct and experience alone guiding their movements. Ren would be concerned if he wasn’t so preoccupied with trying to get Akechi on the bed.

Everything they do and say, it’s familiar. It’s comfort. It’s only natural, when Akechi is all he sees, hears, smells, touches, tastes. If he had to summarize it, their relationship—their memories, their knowledge, their _love_ —is simply an amalgamation of sensations. Things that have long been encoded into them, and have permanently become a part of who they are.

Ren could ask for nothing less. When destiny gives you someone as perfect and imperfect as Akechi, well, what more could you want than to integrate them into your daily life?

“I love you,” Ren breathes into his mouth, “Goro.”

Akechi’s smile tastes like what sunshine must taste like. “I love you too, Ren.”

**Author's Note:**

> find me on twitter @nonnecheri!
> 
> (shoutout to @makarakaja)  
> ara: ren sighs as he inhales the sweet scent of goro's... manflesh


End file.
